200 per person.

Peter

Peter is 100% correct, don't listen to any other advice.
Here is an extract from HM Revenue& Customs page.

Tobacco restrictions for five Member States
The UK is maintaining limits on the amount of cigarettes and some tobacco products that travellers are able to bring in to the UK for own use from five Member States, without paying UK duty.

The limits are:

Estonia - 200 cigarettes or 250g of smoking tobacco.
Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania - 200 cigarettes.
Anyone who is carrying more than the limits should pay UK duty on those goods by entering the Customs red channel or by using the red point telephone. If travellers enter the Customs blue channel with more than the limits, then all of their tobacco may be seized.

Toonman

The HMRC regulations referred to by Peter of York & Toonman, above, can be found HERE and will apply until at least 31st December 2009, under EU customs rules.

The underpinning EU customs rules can be found HERE:

b) For travellers returning from one of the Member States that joined the EU on 1 January 2007

Member States were also allowed to apply special transitional arrangements for travellers returning from the new Member States that joined the EU on 1 January 2007 as long as these new Member States have not reached the minimum level of taxation for cigarettes.

The following Member States have notified the Commission that they introduced on 1 January 2007 a restriction of 200 cigarettes for travellers coming from Bulgaria and Romania until 31 December 2009:

Germany; the United Kingdom; Denmark and Hungary.

All EU citizens who either return directly from Bulgaria or Rumania to one of the above mentioned Member States or via one of these Member States (for example in land travel via Hungary) need to observe the limit.

Baldur

Thats true,,,,,,legally 200 tobacco products But 10 litres of spirits per person!

But 10 litres of spirits per person!

Actually, unlike cigarettes, there's no specified legal limit on the importation of spirits or other alcohol into the UK - but you are likely to face questioning by customs officers if you exceed the HMRC 'guidelines' of 110 litres of beer, 90 litres of wine, 10 litres of spirits, 20 litres of fortified wine (such as port or sherry), see HERE.

Baldur

Thats true,,,,,,legally 200 tobacco products ....

I'm sorry, but this is also wrong. The correct terminology is 200 cigarettes.

It is most important to get this right, mistakes can be costly.

We have a sticky thread on this subject HERE

Peter

there has been a lot of confusion about this for a few years.

What about tobacco. I'm sure I saw that there was a big allowance on roll up tobacco.

Not a smoker but it would be good to get it cleared up.

I agree, the tobacco situation is confusing.THIS spells it out.

HM Revenue & Customs
Travelling to the UK from the European Union (EU)

If you bring in goods on which tax has been paid in an EU country, you do not have to pay any tax or duty on them in the UK. However any alcohol or tobacco you bring in must be for your own use and transported by you.

© Crown Copyright

BUT - the UK has imposed specific restrictions in relation to cigarettes imported from Bulgaria, limiting them to 200 per person, I think we all understand that now.

The text on the website goes on to point out that you are particularly likely to be asked questions if you have more than:

3200 cigarettes, 200 cigars, 400 cigarillos, 3kg tobacco, 110 litres of beer, 90 litres of wine, 10 litres of spirits, 20 litres of fortified wine (such as port or sherry).

© Crown Copyright

Ignore the cigarettes because we know they are treated differently when being imported from Bulgaria.

I think these figures which include 3 kg of tobacco, are an indication of what HM Revenue & Customs considers to be reasonable with regards to 'own use', I just wish they'd spell it out and make it absolutely clear.

Hope this helps,

Peter

200 Too Many

The allowance should be 0!

Please keep to the original topic which is what the allowance is not the pros and cons on smoking.

Sarah